Postal services warns customers of temporary shipping delays

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Shipping deadlines for mail to get delivered in time for the holidays are coming up quickly.

The number of packages, combined with the pandemic, is pushing the mail to the breaking point.

The United States Postal Service said it's experiencing temporary delays while it deals with a historic volume of mail, and some employee shortages, because of COVID-19.

"You know I think I'm going to have my best Christmas I've ever had since I've been here," said Pack N' Ship owner Rodney Hill.

He said the flood of Christmas packages has overwhelmed a shipping system already at the brink.

"The volume for the carriers have been strong all year. With the influx of Christmas added to it, its on overload, I think the carriers are overwhelmed," said Hill.

One of his customers shipped Thanksgiving pies by two-day shipping, but not all the packages made it. The Postal Service is alerting customers it's dealing with historic mail volume.

"I tried to put them in the drawer, and they were all filled up and there's a great big box with a bigger drawer and they're completely full," said Susan Richheimer, leaving a post office with a box full of packages.

"The post office is filled with people and I didn't want to be in a room with so many people," said Richheimer.

The Postal Service told Congress only 80-percent of its first-class mail was on time through the end of November, down from its 96-percent goal.

"We usually get these out way too late, like in like February, but we wanted to get them out before everybody else," said Jaron Tsuchiyama while dropping off 100 New Years cards.

Some private carriers like UPS and FedEx have limited pickups for some retailers.

That's pushed more packages into an already burdened Postal Service.